Big congratulations go to Elliot Bryant, aged 12, from Surrey, winner of this year’s CookIt! competition, sponsored generously by Gold Top.

Andrew Payling Chairman of Quality Milk Producers Ltd and CookIt! 2011 Winner Elliot Bryant
Photographer: Geoff Wilkinson
With thanks to BBC Good Food magazine

It’s second time lucky for Elliot, also a finalist in last year’s competition. This year, he impressed the team of judges with his well-chosen and balanced menu of succulent duck breasts marinated in orange and rosemary and a delicious pineapple tart tatin with coconut cream.

Elliot is one of six finalists who rose to the challenge to show their skill in the kitchen in the Cook It! final held on 9 June. With remarkable calm, confidence and cooking skill, Natalie, Amelia, Emma, Freya, Ben and Elliot recreated their winning dishes at the test kitchen of BBC Good Food magazine.

Under the scrutiny of our guest judges, Diana Henry, Richard Phillips and BBC Good Food’s Deputy Food Editor, Sarah Cook, the six finalists had 1½ hours to prepare their winning main meal and dessert, with each dish judged on its taste, presentation and originality. The judging team was genuinely impressed with the level of skill, creativity and contagious enthusiasm for cooking shown by the finalists, and found it a challenging task to select the overall winner.

Andrew Payling Chairman of Quality Milk Producers Ltd and CookIt! 2011 Second Prize Winner Amelia Curtis-Deer
Photographer: Geoff Wilkinson
With thanks to BBC Good Food magazine

In second place, came Amelia Curtis-Deer, aged 12 from Ipswich, who cooked a delicious fillet of beef with a souffle of wild mushrooms sitting on a potato galette with scattered baby beetroot and fine asparagus, followed by crepe with pomegranate and orange coulis.

Amelia also added to her success by winning the savoury ‘Dish of the Day’ award.

Andrew Payling Chairman of Quality Milk Producers Ltd and CookIt! 2011 Third Prize Winner Natalie Miron
Photographer: Geoff Wilkinson
With thanks to BBC Good Food magazine

Natalie Miron, aged 13 from Reading, came third with her adventurous menu of chicken roulade with a mushroom duxelle filling, cumin and pine nut rice and a duo of root vegetable purées, followed by a trio of chocolate desserts.

Natalie’s dessert so impressed the judges that she won the sweet ‘Dish of the Day’ award.

Andrew Payling Chairman of Quality Milk Producers Ltd and CookIt! 2011 Special Skill Award Winner Emma de Salis Young
Photographer: Geoff Wilkinson
With thanks to BBC Good Food magazine

A special skill award was given to Emma de Salis Young, aged 12 from Leicestershire who produced perfect spun sugar to top her lemon mousse.

Elliot is the lucky winner of a four-night stay for a family of four at Chilton Farm, Isle of Wight (www.chiltonfarm.co.uk).

Richard Phillips

Amelia will be honing her skills with a cookery lesson from top chef and television personality Richard Phillips (pictured right one of the competition judges) or one of his chefs at one of his four Kent venues: Thackeray's in Tunbridge Wells, Richard Phillips @ Chapel Down in Tenterden, Pearson's Arms in Whitstable or Hengist in Aylesford - plus lunch there for four.

Natalie has won the opportunity to cook with award-winning chef, Rachel Green, at one of her cookery demonstrations.

The finalists with Andrew Payling: from left to right Freya, Amelia, Emma, Andrew Payling, Natalie, Elliot and Ben
Photographer: Geoff Wilkinson
With thanks to BBC Good Food magazine

The judges also congratulated runners up Emma de Salis Young, aged 12 from Leicestershire, Freya Blount, aged 14 from Cheshire, and Ben Quinney, aged 13 from Hertfordshire who received Lakeland’s digital scales.

The CookIt! team, Jane Suthering (Guild President), Jayne Cross, Debbie Hearn and Nicola Graimes, would like to thank Gold Top for sponsoring this annual event; the judges, who gave us their time and generously imparted their knowledge and skill to the finalists; as well as BBC Good Food magazine for supporting the competition and for the use of their test kitchen.

Gold Top Milk

For more information about Gold Top milk please contact Linda Batt-Rawden on 020 7580 1770 or email linda@impactagency.co.uk.